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Fernando Montaño

Fernando Montaño was born in Colombia and at the age of 12 joined the only ballet school in the country, Cali's Incolballet, where he discovered his great love and talent for dance. Just two years later he won a scholarship to the prestigious National Ballet School of Cuba before moving to Italy to train and perform at La Scala, Milan.

In 2006 Fernando became the first Colombian to join the Royal Ballet and in 2014 he was promoted to soloist. He made his debut in a Principal role in November 2015's performance of 'The Two Pigeons'.

As well as his work with the Royal Ballet, Fernando choreographs, produces and dances in a number of projects of his own including 'Alchemy' for his close friend and mentor Dame Vivienne Westwood. He is the founder of The Classical Cabaret, a collective of leading multi-national performers drawn from the worlds of ballet, opera and classical music.

Fernando has joint British-Colombian nationality and is a patron of the charity Children Change Colombia. In October 2014, at the invitation of President Santos, he performed 'The Dying Swan' at the Presidential Palace in Bogota for HRH Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall during their State visit.

In 2016 he took a sabbatical to return home to spend time with his family for the first time in 16 years. Whilst there he was a judge on the inaugural Colombian series of 'Dancing with the Stars' and the subject of a BBC TV documentary, 'Dancing for Peace'.